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Issue Spotlight on Lymphoma

​CAR T-Cell Therapy for Second-Line Therapy of Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Salvage immunotherapy followed by high-dose chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation has been the standard of care as second-line therapy for LBCL for decades. Only one-fourth of transplant-intended patients with relapsed/refractory LBCL achieve durable remission.

Axi-Cel CAR T-Cell Therapy for Large B-Cell Lymphoma

Updated data from the first randomized chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell trial show axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) significantly improved event-free survival (EFS) compared to standard of care for patients with aggressive large B-cell lymphoma (LBCL), meeting the trial's primary endpoint.

Mosunetuzumab Induces Durable Remissions in Follicular Lymphoma​

The bispecific antibody mosunetuzumab induces deep and durable remissions in heavily pretreated follicular lymphoma patients, with a manageable safety profile. A Phase I/II trial of the experimental drug met its primary endpoint, leading to high response rates that were maintained for 12 or more months in patients with relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma who had received three or more lines of therapy.

 

Articles on CLL

​Targeted Agents for CLL Patients Aged 80 Years & Older
Researchers conducted a pooled analysis of patients 80 years or older in six Phase II and III studies in the frontline setting to clarify outcomes of targeted treatments regarding relevant clinical endpoints, including overall survival and causes of death.

Phase II CAPTIVATE Study: 

Ibrutinib + Venetoclax Results in First-Line CLL

According to results of the Phase II CAPTIVATE trial (NCT02910583), the use of ibrutinib plus venetoclax in the first-line setting for patients with previously untreated chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) continued to result in responses that were deep and durable. The data examined continuous therapy in certain patients based on minimal residual disease (MRD), and demonstrated sustained uMRD and disease-free survival (DFS).​

Issue Highlights

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The Importance of Earlier End-of-Life Discussions in High-Risk AML​​
​Recent research suggests that discussions about end-of-life decisions occur too late in the illness course of patients with high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML). “Code status refers to whether a patient is willing to undergo CPR or mechanical ventilation intubation if their heart stops or they can't breathe on their own,” said study author Hannah R. Abrams, MD. “While this is one set of medical decisions, changing code status often signifies a turning point in how patients—particularly ill patients—think about how they would want to pursue intensive medical care near the end of life if that were to be warranted.”

COVID-19 Updates

COVID-19 Survival With Acute Leukemia or Myelodysplastic Syndrome​
One in five unvaccinated patients died among those in a study cohort who had acute leukemia or myelodysplastic syndrome and also became infected with COVID-19. But the same analysis indicated that lives could be saved among such patients by informed clinical decision-making, and that continuing cancer treatment did not make outcomes worse (Abstract 280).